Feedback Report

Feedback received during the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy options, which closed on 3 June, has outstripped other major consultations.

Just over 3200 submissions were received with some 1800 written comments attached to some. This compares to only 2500 submissions received for the City Council's Ocean Outfall proposal.

Almost all submitters congratulated the UDS partners for choosing to work together towards a more effective long-term plan for Greater Christchurch, but urged them to continue engaging their communities in the process.

Results

Overall, 63% of the 3200 submissions preferred Option A, to concentrate development within Christchurch City and other larger towns in surrounding districts. Another 22% wanted Option B, which balances future urban development between existing built areas, with some expansion into adjacent areas. Few (2%) wanted Option C, which allows more dispersed development beyond established areas, or Business as Usual (3%) which would mean continuing current trends and each authority continuing to plan for growth on their own, without any reference to neighbouring authorities.

Some submissions opted for a mix of A and B, saying that A was their preference but it did not go far enough on sustainability issues. A few suggested that a strong sustainability option should have been included.

Common themes

Most evident was the common issues raised by submitters, no matter what areas they came from. Whether a submission came from Waimakariri, Selwyn, Banks Peninsula or the city, common issues included:

A need for passenger rail in the future, using existing rail transport corridors between Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Rolleston, Lincoln, Lyttelton and Christchurch;

The importance of developing and using excellent urban design principles that include energy-effiecient homes with public/green space;

Need to focus on the development of urban villages or neighbourhood activity centres designed around walking and cycling;

Need for transport planning to be aligned to land development;

Need to protect productive and versatile soils' a need to protect aquifers and waterways;

Questioning population projections and whether there was a need for any further population growth at all;

Need to protect landscapes and provide more open space with green and ecological corridors;

Questioning the influence of future oil price increases and whether this had been factored into future planning processes, and

Rural owners wanting a say in rezoning.

Timeline

The recommended draft strategy drawn up by the Greater Christchurch UDS Forum is planned to be distributed to all partners by the end of this year, with an aim to seek public consultation on the draft strategy by early next year. Final adoption of the Greater Christchurch UDS is planned for mid to late 2006.